Change to speed limit on Pacific Highway

05-November-2011

Port Stephens MP Craig Baumann has advised motorists the speed limit on the Pacific Highway between Heatherbrae and Twelve Mile Creek will change from Monday, 7th November.

“The RTA has carried out a review of the Pacific Highway as part of the NSW audit of speed zones,” Mr Baumann said.

“The review assessed a number of factors including road environment, traffic characteristics and crash profiles.

“The changes on the Pacific Highway are being made to provide a more consistent approach to speed zoning and will be welcomed by motorists.

“This is about striking a balance between the right speed zone for the road conditions and not having an excessive number of speed changes.

“The speed limit will be increased to 110km/h for most of the existing 100km/h speed zone south of Twelve Mile Creek.

“The new northbound110km/h speed limit will replace the existing 100km/h speed zone from Heatherbrae to south of Italia Road, near Twelve Mile Creek.

"The new southbound 110 km/h speed limit will replace the existing 100km/h speed zone from south of Medowie Road to Heatherbrae.

“After careful consideration of the crash history and the road alignment immediately north of The Bucketts Way, 900 metres of the existing 110km/h speed zone will be reduced to 100km/h.

“As a result of these changes there will be an additional 11.8 kilometres of 110km/h speed zone northbound and an additional 14.8 kilometres southbound on the Pacific Highway in the Hunter region.

“There will be no change to the northbound 100km/h speed limit between Italia Road and The Bucketts Way or the southbound 100km/h speed limit between the Bucketts Way and Medowie Road due to the busy intersections in these areas.

“The new 100km/h zone north of the Bucketts Way will connect to this existing 100km/h speed zone.

“Fact sheets about the speed zone reviews are available on the RTA website by clicking on the Safer Roads NSW link.

“The aim of reducing the speed limit on these sections of road is to improve road safety and achieve greater consistency in speed limits and reduce frustration for motorists.

“Motorists have said they want to focus on the road when driving instead of constantly looking at changing speed limit signs and the RTA has listened,” Mr Baumann said.

Electronic message signs will be in place to advise motorists of the speed limit change and will remain in place for at least a week after the new speed signs have been installed.

Members of the community can sign up at the Safer Roads NSW website to receive updates about changes to permanent speed limits in their nominated area and have their say on speed limits.

For more information visit: www.rta.nsw.gov.au